Warning, this post is not typical of me. I share plenty of myself with my readers, and the world in general, but I tend to keep my politics to myself. You might occasionally see me talk about religion or spirituality, but politics…this post is a first in the 4 years since I’ve started this blog.
Normally I’m proud to be Canadian, but right now I can’t do it. I’m ashamed of the circus that our political arena has become. The Liberals and the NDP have decided that since their efforts to get Steven Harper out of office with an early vote didn’t work, that they’re going to form a Coalition goverment, and take over.
Basically what is happening is that neither of the bullies in the schoolyard could take out Harper on their own, so they’ve come together and formed a gang to get the job done. And it’s bullshit.
All this Coalition is doing is scaring Canadians and showing us that Harper and his party are the right ones to run the country right now. Do they really think that throwing a tantrum because they lost is going to make them look strong enough and smart enough to run a country in this economy? The Vancouver Sun quoted a survey done exclusively for Canwest News Service and Global National and states that “Fully 60 per cent of those interviewed said they opposed replacing the government with Liberal-NDP coalition supported by the Bloc Quebecois, compared with 37 per cent who favoured the idea. Support for the coalition was highest in Quebec at 50 per cent, followed by 44 per cent in Atlantic Canada.”
Even in Quebec, the province who almost separated from the rest of Canada a few years ago, support for this coalition was only 50%. What does that tell you?
In a letter to the editor of the Montreal Gazette, Christina Bedard-Neocleous of Brossard, summed it it up perfectly when she wrote: “I have no love for Mr. Stephen Harper, but there is no way that I will ever support this craziness called the Canadian Coalition. No way! “
Canada is a democracy. There was a vote. You lost. Don’t try to run roughshod over the voters that make up this country, and don’t try to pretend this is what we want. We, as a people, want to live in a country where our vote counts. If people don’t like the goverment that won the election fair and square, then maybe they’ll get out and vote at the next one. That’s how this country is supposed to work.
The actions the NDP and Liberal leaders are employing are nothing more than bully tactics, and they should be ashamed. My advice to the so called Canadian Coilition: Suck it up and act like adults.
Oh, Sasha, my head is throbbing. I’m trying not to think about circus going on in our national political arena.
I’m not thrilled about Harper, and given that he returned with a minor gov’t, only gaining 2 seats, I’d guess a lot of Canadians felt the same way.
But we obviously thought him the lesser of all evils. In particular, wasn’t Stephan Dion supposed to step down as leader of the Liberals in the next few months? Now he’s supposed to head the colition? Hell no!
Let’s be frank Harper is not innocent in all of this. He’s an arrogant sob, and this whole vote of confidence thing would not have gotten this far if he’d remember that he does not have the clear mandate to do whatever the hell he’s re a majority gov’t and should work a bit more with the opposition parties.
Apparently this is not the first time things have moved in the direction of a non-confidence vote during Harper’s previous tenure, it’s just the first time it’s gotten this far, but a colition gov’t (with separtist fer cryin out loud!) is not the answer!
::pant,pant,pant:: Going to lie down now.
I think I’d better not get started on this topic, but I can’t help myself. You can tell me to shut-up, Sasha! I’m up to my eyeballs in Canadian politics this past week or so, and I’m pretty angry about it all. I believe Canadians have been let down by all the parties, especially at this point in time, when the economy needs to be the focus of government.
Most of my anger isn’t directed at the coalition though. Rightly or wrongly, Canada has a parliamentary democracy. Steven Harper knows it and he lies when he says a coalition is undemocratic. It isn’t. It’s legitimate. It’s happened in the past, though it’s not common, especially nationally.
Of course the coalition can be thought stupid or wrong-headed or grasping—and I can understand why people might think that—but it’s not undemocratic. A minority government was elected, not a majority.
That our Prime Minister would lie about this fact really, really bothers. As does his pitting one part of the country against the other.
We are going through the same exact thing down here, except they’re trying to claim our president elect isn’t a citizen so they can oust him before he takes office. :duell: It makes the country look bad, especially considering what happened the previous election where someone won the popular vote and still somehow lost the election.
Jorrie, I would never tell you to shut up. Our opinions may vary in some ways, but that’s why they are opinions. LOL
I knew posting this blog that it might start something, but honestly, I feel that it needs to be talked about, and not just by the newspapers and politicians. I’m not looking to start any fights, or arguements, but discussion is good.
Now, on to my response to you and Vanessa’s comments….LOL
Vanessa, I pretty much agree with all you said. You just spoke more rationally than me. 😳
Jorrie:A minority government was elected, not a majority.
Yes, but it was ELECTED!
I disagree, it’s not a lie to say a coalition is undemocratic. The coailition was not elected. Harper was. If the Liberals and the NDP had formed the coalition BEFORE the election, and people had had a choice to vote for a coalition versus Harper, then that would be different. But that didn’t happen. Instead of joining together when they should’ve, they fought each other, as well as Harper. And now they look like losers and spoiled brats, and instead of bringing the country together to face the future, it’s splitting it apart even more.
I did not say Harper was innocent in it all.
I live in Alberta, I know Harper, and do I think he’s going to be the best PM ever? not by a long shot. But I do believe that he is the best right now. Like Vanessa says, he is the lesser of the evils.
I don’t care about what happened in the past with any coalition, what I care about is that our society, our world has changed , and grown, and is still changing and this coalition idea is not the answer. And most certainly not with the Dion at the helm.
Jordan, exactly. I get that some people, are not happy with the elections, either of them, or both, or whatever. But what really pisses me off is that the losers turn into such petulant children. Do I (or you) want a petulant child who finally got his way by throwing a tantrum to be the one in charge of your economy? Your country?
I think most parent will agree that giving in to a tantrum only creates a bigger monster.
I think it’s time for all of them to suck it up, and work together. (And yes, by that I mean Harper working with parliment as well)
If they want to plot and plan for the next election, then do so. But both countries need leaders right now. Not children full of ego and temper.
Sash, I totally get what you’re saying- the 3 parties in the proposed coalition were not voted in, but I have to agree with Jorrie in that Harper is using scaremongering tactics. We have had a coalition government power previously (although it was during WWI. lol). The thing is Harper is making this almost sound illegal/a coupe d’etat, and it’s not. When a vote of confidence takes place and the gov’t losed that vote 3 things can happen, either the the current situation we have now with Parliment suspended, a new election is called or the government is replaced (in this case the replacement would be the coalition). The whole thing is a bloody mess. But maybe this will make Harper learn to play a bit more nice in the parlimentary school yard. And Dion needs to go home already!!!
I’m pretty sure the Coailittion was created because when they called the last vote of confidence, the decision was made to hold the election early. and that didn’t work out they way they’d hoped.
So I understand why they want this coalition, but IMHO, it’s a bad idea with the people involved right now.
And the vote to suspend Parliment right now was not done by Harper alone. He can’t do that alone, he can only request it. The Gove.Gen agreed to it. and again, I think it was probably the smartest thing.
It’s not the smartest thing because I’m 100% for Harper, but because I am 100% against the coalition as it stands right now.
And, I think Harper deserves some credit for taking responsability for his part in things as the CBCnews article states here:
“The economy is the priority now, and the public is very frustrated with the situation in Parliament. We’re all responsible for that,” Harper said in French.
The whole freaking thing is a mess. I just hope they all let the air out of their egos and come up with a workable plan for our goverment by the end of January when Parliment resumes.
I don’t want the coalition either! I’m so angry at Harper that I overfocus on him, but, honestly, for me the best-case scenario is Ignatieff takes the helm, Ig and Harper dial it down, and we get a functioning government for at least the winter. (I actually like Rae, but I don’t think he’s going to be a helpful leader in the short term.)
I’m also looking longingly at Jim Prentice as the Conservative leader, but I don’t think that’s realistic. (He’s not your MP, is he?)
I think we all have the right to be angry about this, even if different people and different actions have made us angry. It’s been very poorly handled. And Dion, well, I cringe.
Sounds like we’re all in agreement. LOL I think most of the country is, we’re just all so angry at the circus that sometimes it’s hard to figure out who to be angry at.
I agree that the best case scenario would be to see Ignatieff getin, and see him and Harper work together. Lord would it be nice to see them work together and get things moving again.
Nope, Prentice isn’t my Mp. He’s in Calgary. I’m in Edmonton and Laurie Hawn is my districts MP. I do like the look of Prentice for the future though.
Oh, for some reason I thought you were in Calgary. Oops!
Thanks for letting me have my say here, Sasha. Gosh, I’m hoping Canadian politics goes back to being boring real soon now.